Woman Gives Birth on Plane

Should Woman Be Fined For Giving Birth on a Plane?

Should a woman who gave birth on a plane, forcing it to make an emergency landing, be fined for inconveniencing others? That's the opinion of some, who say the woman was reckless in lying about how far along she was in her pregnancy so she could board a plane from Nigeria to London past when it's medically advisable. Fortunately, there were on doctors on board to help with the delivery, but the plane still had to make an emergency landing in Spain.

people dont just get on a plane for the hell of it, unless they have more money than brains. im sure she had a damn good reason for getting on a plane close to her due date (if she even was, we dont know that) so people need to stop blaming her. besides, it wouldnt be any worse than delivering in a car in the middle of nowhere. only on a plane you have an audience and professionals closeby. thank goodness she wasnt in a car in the middle of nowhere, by herself at that!

Again people, we don't know ALL THE FACTS! Stop judging less you be judged! you are forgetting that ALL of us have told fibs at one point in our lives to get ahead. Have we ALL, ever followed the rules to a "T"? H*** NO! Let the first person without sin throw the first stone! Yeah, I thought so! The woman had her reasons to be on that plane, whether she "fibbed" or not.
Yes, it was a inconvenience for others on the plane, so what. I rather have the plane land due to an emergency like a baby being born than because of a bomb or terrorist on board. Sheeesh! I hope everyone thinks really long and hard on this one before judging. Seems like we as a nation are getting more mentally "anal" and whiney about things that "inconvenience" us!

You're linking to a misleading blog. The blogger you name didn't even read properly the article SHE linked to. The airline is only checking to see if she DID lie. They DON'T KNOW yet whether she did or not.
If she did, that was irresponsible. If she didn't, then the issue is moot.

I flew when I was 32 weeks pregnant, and even though the limit with my airline was 36 weeks, they didn't want to let me board the plane. I had to produce a letter from my doctor and they actually called her up to confirm that it wasn't fake (my bump was huge and I'm petite, so they thought I was either carrying twins or ready to pop, lol). So I say it's the airlines fault for not being anal like they were with me. Another annoying thing airlines do, they don't check for some visas on the way out, only when you wanna travel back home - hubby always gets stuck abroad because he forgets it at home...

No the pregnant lady is not at fault!!! Possibly she had a plan to leave and make a better life for her and her baby!!! The people on the flight should be thankful that they had a safe flight and weather didn't delay!! A woman having a baby is an act of God!! Im sure the lady wouldve rather had her baby in the comfort of a hospital!! So get over it and quit being a self centered selfish a**!!! Be thankful for a safe flight and that the lady and baby made it through a stressful situation like that!!

First of all, before a woman goes abroad, she should have a letter from her doctor as to how far along she is. It is unsafe for a woman over 6months to be travelling due to the pressure of such heights for her and her baby. Thank God there was a doctor on that plane to assist. People just don't think sometimes. Second of all, accidents happen and I am sure she wasn't out to be embarrassed that she gave birth on a plane? Or was that her master mind plan. You never know when a baby is going to show his/her joy on a plane...lol So being said that, give the poor woman a break and realize that its called life, and you never know what can happen in life. Always put yourself in someone else's shoes before you judge!

What's the limit on flying? 5 months? 6? 7? How much more arbitrary can we get? Unless a woman is actively in labor, how would you know when she might deliver a baby or how fast it might go? What's next at TSA, forced ultrasonography and a cervical check for effacement and dilation along with your pat down? The plane didn't HAVE to land in Spain unless there was an emergency, So clearly there WAS, and clearly the good samaritan medically trained on the plane were not equipped to handle it. Having a baby on the plane does not necessarily scream emergency any more than having a baby in the car en route to the hospital when you're in a very rural area with no phone service and many bumpy miles from town. Any inconvenience is trumped by an emergency, and this is RIDICULOUSLY RARE. Much less rare than planes landing for mechanical problems, but no one gets bent out of shape about missing their connections in THAT situation. Sheesh.

There are so many variables that were not mentioned by the writer. My first reaction is to condemn the pregnant woman. Then I really thought this through and realized that the writer failed to mention all of the facts but rattled off her opinion instead. I really believe that her ability to write objectively is attrocious. She is not a true journalist!! Getting back to the story - I can't give an opinion unless I know why this woman chose to fly so late in her term. Someone mentioned that she came from Nigeria and may have been seeking better care somewhere else. Perhaps having stayed in Nigeria would have been far more dangerous than flying to a country with better medical care? Who are we to judge when the life of a child is on the line? None of us knows all of the facts so it's difficult to determine whether or not this woman acted responsibly or selfishly.

i wonder what made her do it. it must have been serious to drive her away from home like that so far along in her pregnancy. Anyway, a multitude of things happen on planes to force them to land. -.- If your going to due a woman for giving birth at a time thats inconvinient for you... are you also gonna due the mothers that give birth prematurely... and hell. maybe she didn't actually lie. maybe she didn't know. technilogy in nigeria for medical isn't exactly amazing. -.- anyway... if you fine her that would open up a can of worms to fine every idiot who ever caused a plain to need to land along with anyone who has ever or will ever have a medical emergency on a plane. Also id like to point out, the woman is a mother with a baby, not a pregnant woman now. -.- And just so ya know, I am sure that time wasn't convinient for her either. -.- wow... they act like she wanted to give birth on a plane surrounded by complete and total strangers. -_-

A pregnant woman isn't being fined. A woman with a baby is. Duh! I have been denied flights bc of my pregnancy and I have followed the rules. She compromised her and her baby's safety by being so reckless. If there were complications the results could have been devistationg for her, her family , and all passengers. I'm sure some got to witness a vagina stretching out to its highest potential. Peanuts?

I just flew at 35 weeks. Without any questions or concerns. However, I was on a flight where a lady died and was brought back to life. we made an emergency landing. my family and I missed our connection. ya. it sucked. but, whatever. life happens.

I can tell you right now, if I had spent years saving for a holiday and I had a connecting flight waiting for me that I missed or accommodation because of some thoughtless woman I would be extremely pissed ....... When people travel, there is usually a cycle of plans that generally have to be met by deadlines. Having said this though, it is all assuming that the lady lied in the first place.. a lot of people do it to get into countries where the taxpayer pays for hospitals ect or to get citizenship .... depends on more circumstances,,

Some people are very relaxed about breaking rules, because they think it's inconvenient to follow them. They say "Oh, nothing's going to happen." And, it turns out it does happen! Aggravating, but there are people like this, unfortunately!

ok im going to stir the pot abit about this too. I too think this mother did not think she would be an inconvenience or put her or her baby at medical risk.
What about people who dont want their baby and terminate the pregnancy. Is that not causing undo risk to themselves and definitely to their baby. Also to everyone who has to pay for it, because in Canada it is covered by taxpayers. Just saying. There are alot of 'inconveniences' in this world, this life, and some are not intended and some are in your face intended. I sure hope the mom and baby are doing ok. I hope everyone on the flight got to their destinations ok. Something they will be talking about for a long time.
Let us who do no wrong, cast the first judgement, eh. Im just saying

If it is true she lied and the doctor falsified documents so she could fly they should both be fined. She caused serious expense to the airline and perhaps some of her fellow passengers. In addition she clearly had no regard for anyone. You follow the rules or you live with the consequence. I'm sure that is what most of the moms here teach their kids. For those comparing this to a person with a heart condition that is totally different. They don't have a heart attack due date. I am sure there are a variety of conditions where people are advised not to fly. I would agree if someone had had another medical emergency and had been under doctors orders not to fly they should also be fined.

I mean no disrespect, but how much less dangerous is this woman having her baby on a plane, than having it in Nigeria? You're going to fine her? Is she *really* going to have the ability to pay? As has been pointed out *numerous* times, life happens. People get sick, have heart-attacks, they have psychotic breaks even, and a plane needs to be landed to attend to that person's needs. I did find the article to be extremely entitled. There have been numerous commenters who have mentioned they needed emergency medical care during their pregnancy and *had* to fly to get it. It's not like you can leave Nigeria ANY other way than by plane. Honestly, it sickens me to think that this is where journalism is going. We don't know yet what the situation truly is. (And for those of you who've asked why she didn't just drive instead of flying? Uhm. Yeah. Americans are really that bad when it comes to geography.) Either way, once the investigation brings more facts to life... we'll have a better basis for understanding her motives behind traveling overseas late-term.

If she lied then yes she should be fined. If. The airline would be out of pocket, the other passengers may well be too, so she should be held accountable for that. Airlines have rules for a reason and if you knowingly break them then you pay your dues.

PopSugar Moms - I am disappointed to see you perpetuating poorly written, judgmental, factless crap. Not to mention the layers of indirection involved here. Irresponsible. If you actually read the article that the link that you link to, links to (how ridiculous is that), they had not yet determined that this woman had lied. Either you're just lazy, or you're intentionally sensationalizing and perpetuating garbage in the interest of generating more site traffic and ad revenue. In other words, you're just another useless corner of the internet not deserving of my further attention. I have unsubscribed to your newsletters. You have no value and are not worth my time.

I was allowed to fly at 35 weeks on one airline and then when I went to board the plane to come home, they tried to give me a hard time about boarding. My point was that I was upfront about my pregnancy, the airline flew me to my destination without problem, I paid for the ticket back, now let me fly back. If they were going to have an issue, it should have been on the first plane, not the last.

I'd feel differently if she hadn't lied. Not every airline has a 32 week mark, United allows travel into the 9th month, I chose them when I really had to make a trip well into my 8th month. You have to have a doctor appt no less than 72 hours prior, your OB must sign off, you must give the airline your due date, etc. Had the airline known it all and still said OK, then it is on the airline. But you don't lie about it.

When I looked into flying during late pregnancy I found the policies varied by airline. This was for travel within north america, but many airlines had no problem letting women fly right up to their due date as long as they had a doctor's note (though some airlines did have much more conservative policies). I would not fault an expectant mother for thinking it was okay to fly though since it's not hard to find a pregnant women who has flown close to her due date. If the mom knowingly misrepresented the situation and boarded the plane against the rules the airline might be justified in fining her. Although, I'm not sure what the would accomplish. If you're pregnant, close to your due date, and you need to be somewhere far away overland travel may be impossible. I'd like to think people could be sympathetic to the needs of a pregnant woman. People with known heart problems fly and aeroplanes make emergency landings when those passengers have heart attacks.

If you're flying at 8 or 9 months pregnant, youre definitely taking a risk that you may give birth. If she lied about how far along she was in her pregnany, yeah she should be fined. I think airline policy is no flying after 7 months pregnancy. If its a long haul flight then it's even more crucial.